Man falls asleep at wheel, slams pick-up into back of truck

PHUKET: The driver of a pick-up is suspected to have fallen asleep while driving when he slammed into the back of a six-wheel truck on Thepkrassatri Rd early this morning (Oct 29). No injuries have been reported from the accident police said.

Capt Kraisorn Boonprasop of the Thalang Police was notified of an accident on the south-bound lanes of Thepkrasattri road, about 100 metres before Khaolan junction, at 3:15am. A pick-up had smashed into the back of the six-wheel truck carrying house bricks police were told.

Police arrived at the scene with Kusoldharm rescue workers to find a Ford Ranger pick-up with severe damage to its front from hitting the back of the six-wheel Isuzu truck.

The driver of the Ford Ranger, Mr Korkhoa Saelaw, 26, suffered only minor injuries and was standing on the side of the road with the truck driver, Mr Wichai Kullem, 51.

Mr Wichai told police he was driving a truck full of bricks from Nakorn Srithamarat to deliver them to a shop in Phuket when he heard a loud bang from the behind.

“I though one of the tires burst, so I stopped the truck to check and discovered another vehicle had crashed into mine.” said Mr Wichai.

“We questioned other drivers who saw the accident they said that the pick-up swerved from side to side before slamming into the back of the six-wheeler. We suspected Mr Korkhoa fell asleep at the wheel when he crashed his vehicle,” said Capt Kraisorn.

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